Planer boards are devices used in sport fishing to allow the trolling of multiple fishing lines from a boat. Planer boards are pushed out from the boat as the boat travels through the water. Several can be used on either side of the boat and, since they can be let out at different distances from the boat and along the sides of the boat, they prevent fishing lines from becoming tangled with each other.
In their simplest form, planer boards are flat rectangular boards that float vertically near the surface of the water. The fishing line is attached to the planer board so that the planer board trolls generally parallel to the direction that the boat is travelling. Planer boards can be set 50 yards or more from the boat allowing the user to fish large expanses of water at once.
Generally, a fishing line attaches to the planer board at two positions. The first position is typically grips the line in some manner so that the line does not slip and allow the planer board to slide freely on the line. The device at the first position is typically referred to as a gripping device, or similar. The second position is typically at the back end of the board and does not grip the line in any way. Rather, the device at the end of the planer board guides the line such that it trails the planer board and prevents it from meandering to the side and possibly getting tangled on other lines. The device that guides the line is typically referred to as a guidance device, or similar.
Prior art planer boards have numerous problems. First, the prior art planer boards are relatively heavy. Because of the heaviness of these planer boards, it is difficult for users to see strikes by smaller fish. This is particularly important since planer boards can be at a distance of 50 yards or more from the boat. Since weights are often used on the bottom edge of the planer board, the heavier the planer board itself, the heavier the weights must be to keep the board properly oriented in the water. Making the planer board smaller is not a suitable method for overcoming this problem since a smaller board would not track as well in the boat's wake and would be more difficult for the user to see. Thus, prior art planer boards have been advanced as far as technically possible to balance the competing requirements of size and weight.
Second, when reeling in the planer board after hooking a fish it is important for the user to be able to quickly remove the line from the planer board to be able to continue reeling in the fish. Unfortunately, prior art planer boards do not allow for the fastest removal of the board from the fishing line potentially costing the user their fish. Other prior art planer boards have complicated mechanisms that are expensive to manufacture.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,583 to Church (issued Mar. 2, 1999) discloses a planer board made of molded high-density plastic. The boards disclosed in this publication use a screw-type gripping device to hold the fishing line. Such screw type gripping devices slow down the user when removing the fishing line form the planer board. Additionally, the guidance device on this board utilizes a complicated post mechanism that requires carving out sections of the board. Because of this design, this type of guidance device is expensive to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,350 to Link (issued Sep. 14, 2004) discloses a planer board with in built in lighting system. This lighting system of this planer board is intended to help the user see the planer board in the dark. Although the Inventor describes his planer board as light weight, because of the electronics, batteries, bulbs and other components necessary for the lighting system to work, these boards are heavier when compared to planer boards not having these components.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,167 to Bowman (issued Dec. 14, 1999) discloses a planer board of a different design wherein the fishing line is attached to the tether line holding the planer board to the boat. In other words, the fishing line attached to the tether line between the boat and the planer board. This board does not have a guidance device and, thus, the fishing lines may be susceptible to tangling. Thus, this design requires that fewer lines be used per boat or that the line be spaced greater distances form each other.
Therefore, what is needed is a planer board that weighs less than prior art planer boards without giving up size. What is also needed is a planer board that is easier to remove from the fishing line when reeling in a fish.